Draft:South African Institution of Mechanical Engineering

The South African Institution of Mechanical Engineering (SAIMechE)

The South African Institution of Mechanical Engineering (SAIMechE) exists to serve the interests and needs of its members, to advance the science and practise of mechanical engineering, and to promote high standards in the profession.

SAIMechE is the senior body representing the discipline of mechanical engineering in South Africa. It covers all fields of application as diverse as automobile, energy generation, process engineering, heavy manufacture, design, management, research, mining and education. SAIMechE is over a century old, and originated as the South African Association of Engineers and Architects, established in 1892. SAIMechE is a voluntary association of Mechanical Engineers, Technologists and Technicians that have access to various grades of membership and the associated benefits.

SAIMechE's Mission is to serve the interests and needs of its members and of the Mechanical Engineering Community, and to promote the continued supply of appropriate and sufficient Mechanical Engineering skills to meet the nation’s needs, thereby enhancing the competitiveness of local industry to the benefit of all.

The overall control of the Institution is vested in the Corporate Members, to whom is reserved the right to vote on all matters affecting the policy of the Institution.

The management of the Institution is vested in the Council. The Council is made up of Office Bearers, Chairmen of Branches, Chairmen of Working Committees, and representatives of the Company Affiliates.

The Office Bearers comprise the President, Vice President, and National Treasurer. Branch Chairmen are elected from within their respective branches.

Working Committees handle the various functions common to the Institution as a whole, rather than being branch-related. These include: Communications and Marketing, Engineering education, Membership affairs and Young member liaison, Procedures and Constitutional Matters. The Chairmen of these Working Committees are appointed by Council, and the members are recruited from within the branches.

In addition, the SAIMechE motto is: ‘Scientia Progredimur’– By Knowledge We Advance.

History

One of the most honored moments for the Institution was when the honorable Dr Nelson Mandela was the Key Note Speaker during the SAIMechE Centenary Conference in 1993. The theme of the conference was: 'Winning Technologies for Africa'. Madiba addressed delegates on the topic "Science and Technology in a Democratic South Africa - An ANC Perspective". The speech was published on the official Nelson Mandela.

Presidents

As of 2024, there have been over 100 presidents of the Institution. The presidents had either been elected annually for one year or biannually for two years.

Prof Deborah Blaine became the first female president in 2018; Sewela Portia Moketla became the second in 2022.

Official Publications

SAIMechE R&D Journal

The SAIMechE R&D Journal (ISSN 0257-9669 (print until 2008); ISSN 2309-8988 (online)) is a peer reviewed engineering science journal, the first issue of which was published during 1985. The Journal is presently fully accredited as a subsidised research journal with the South African State Department of Higher Education and is listed in the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ).

In line with international trends to increase the visibility and accessibility of mechanical engineering research, the SAIMechE Council, in consultation with the Editorial Advisory Board, has decided to publish SAIMechE's R&D Journal as an open-access internet edition from 2009 onwards. All editions of the R&D Journal are published in PDF format, available for public viewing and free download.

SA Mechanical Engineer

The SA Mechanical Engineer is the official publication of SAIMechE and is endorsed by a number of associated bodies. The publication enjoyed a successful run as a hard copy print magazine and was well-respected by members and readers at large. But the internet waits for no man. As a result, both Promech Publishing (publisher of the SA Mechanical Engineer) and SAIMechE have now fully bid magazine publishing farewell and embraced the digital space, producing the magazine in a digital format.

References

• "ECSA Associations: Recognised Voluntary Associations" Engineering Council of South Africa.
• SAIMechE Research and Development Journal
• SAIMechE Centenary conference and celebrations of 1993.

About this page

This page was created by a member of staff with the intent of providing a historical overview of the institution from its inception in 1892, and specifically aims to be neutral.